What is in your hand?

• I don't have enough money.
• I don't have sufficient eductation.
• I don't get the support I need at work or home.
• Nobody would listen to me...

There are any number of reasons NOT to live the life we dream of, but why not look around and find reasons to achieve, excel and fulfill your dreams. I love God's interaction with Moses in Exodus 4. God has called Moses to return to Egypt and deliver his people from bondage. A pretty monumental task, especially since the old prophet left Egypt in a bit of a hurry (Exodus 2:11-15).

During their discussion Moses asks God, "what if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, the Lord did not appear to you?" (Exodus 4:1). God then asks the prophet, "what is in your hand and told him to throw his staff on the ground." Immediately, his staff became a serpent. When he picked it up again it returned to a staff.

A shepherds staff may not seem very imposing standing before the most powerful monarch in the world, but when God gets hold of it - that is a different story all together. The rest of Exodus 4 has Moses presenting one objection after another to God, until he simply runs out of excuses.

What is in your hand? We spend so much time looking at the obstacles, framing our objections or making excuses that we fail to see all the opportunities that life has to offer. I doubt Moses ever really saw himself as Israel's great deliverer. King David was a small, ruddy, pipsquek of lad when Samuel annointed him King. Gideon went into battle against superior forces with just 300 men.

Sit down tonight and turn all your excuses over to God. I promise you He has an answer for everyone one of them. Once you finish your whining and complaining look around at what is in your hand, or in your house, or best of all in your heart and mind - then go and live your dream!